Englishman in New York
by Ms.Mitty
Summary: A collection of one-shots about Edwin Jarvis' last days, as he tries to prepare a 21-year-old Tony Stark for a new life both as an orphan and a father.
1. Chapter 1

**January 1992**

Tony Stark wasn't exactly a gentleman. No, he was an infamous playboy who had broken the hearts of many women. Still, he wouldn't kick a woman out of his house, especially not before sleeping with her. Last night was an exception. What was her name? Emma? Emily? Emilia? He was too drunk to remember, and too mournful to care. Anyway, he had chosen her to take to his house after the party. They could have got it on anywhere they wanted. This mansion had five bedrooms, a pool, and a hot tub. They could have done it in the kitchen, the bathroom, on—or, in—one of the cars, or the couches. But she had wanted to do it on the piano instead. His mom's precious piano. Tony had said no, she had insisted, so he had kicked her out of the house. Now, he had woken up on said instrument, alone.

"Sorry, Mom," he mumbled, rolling from the piano on to the floor.

A thud, and then nothing. His mom wasn't here to accept the apology. The house felt awfully quiet. Jarvis was upstairs, but he was probably still asleep. Tony still couldn't believe his dad had sent him to an old folks home while Tony was studying abroad. He had defended himself saying he knew a "friend" who would take care of Jarvis better than any nurse or doctor could. Tony had no idea who his dad had been talking about, but it didn't matter. It was bullshit. After the accident, Tony had brought Jarvis home immediately, and hired the best nurse money could afford. Still, Jarvis slept a lot these days. When he was awake, he often sat in a chair by the window in his room, and read a book. If he felt strong enough, he would even take a walk in the garden, but those walks were becoming less and less frequent. Soon, Jarvis would leave him, too, just like his parents had. Rhodey had joined the Air Force. All he had left was Obadiah, who tried ridiculously hard to become a father figure to Tony. Like he could replace Jarvis… But the company needed someone capable and trustworthy, so Tony was willing to tolerate him. At least he was fun to mess with. But he wasn't Jarvis, and he would never be. No one could.

Too bad the great Howard Stark had died before he could find a cure for death itself.

He wasn't sure what time it was, but it was probably still damn too early to start drinking again. Also, the hangover was a bitch. The sunlight was hurting his eyes. His back was sore from sleeping on the piano. He scrambled to his feet, trying to ignore the dizziness, nausea, and the throbbing headache. He was hoping to make for the kitchen and fix himself some coffee when the doorbell rang.

At first, he thought it was either Rhodey or Obie, here to give him his daily dose of lecture on why he needed to start pulling his shit together. It had been two months since the accident—it had been only 39 days, actually, not two months—the company needed him, his dad would be devastated if he could see him right now, the usual crap… For a brief second, he wondered if he could ignore the door, but then changed his mind. The sooner they got this over with, the better.

But it was neither Rhodey, nor Obie. There was a basket on the doorstep, and inside a basket, a sleeping baby, covered in a pink blanket.

_A prank_, he thought. _This must be a damn prank._ He really must have pissed Emma off last night, and this was how she was getting back at him. He just hoped the bitch had borrowed a friend's kid or something, and not kidnapped a random baby. But he didn't think the blanket would be enough to protect her from the bitter chill of the New York winter, so he had no choice but to take the baby inside until someone came to claim her. Was it even a she? The blanket was pink, so he assumed it was. He gingerly grabbed the handle of the basket, and took her to the warm living room.

"Claire!" he called for the nurse. "Get down here, I need your help with something!"

The baby's brown eyes flew open, and she started crying.

_Shit_. How could he have been so stupid? He had woken the baby up when he had shouted like that.

"Please go back to sleep," he said, wondering how such a small thing could have such strong lungs. The cries were piercing his ears. The hangover wasn't helping either.

"What? Are you hungry? Don't tell me you need a diaper change…"

She just kept crying and squirming. Tony rubbed his temples. This morning was a nightmare. Really, it was just a nightmare. Perhaps he was still sleeping on the piano.

"Look, I'm sure you need something, but I got this terrible headache and…" He paused. He was trying to reason with a baby who looked like only several weeks old. He made for the front door again, opened it, and then yelled, "Alright, the prank's over! Whoever you are, just come here and take the baby!"

No reply came. Frustrated, he returned to the living room.

"At least don't die on me, okay? I don't want to go to jail."

"Oh, Master Tony, I don't think she'll learn how to talk today…"

Jarvis was standing in the doorway, still in his brown pajamas and slippers, with Claire behind him. Great, Tony must have woken him up as well… Claire helped him sit down on the nearest armchair.

"May I?" she then asked Tony, gesturing at the basket.

Tony didn't know why she had asked for his permission—it wasn't his baby, after all—but he nodded nevertheless. She took the baby, put a hand on her tummy and then sniffed her bottom.

"She seems fine to me," she said, giving her to Jarvis.

"I agree."

"Why is she crying, then?" Tony asked.

Jarvis shrugged. "Sometimes babies cry for no reason. In fact, you were quite a fussy little one yourself, Master Tony."

Tony smiled for the first time since he had woken up today. "It's just a stupid prank. If no one shows up in the next ten minutes, I'll call the police and…" His voice trailed off when he saw the look on the old butler's face.

"Miss Travis, can you please give us a moment?" Jarvis asked. Claire left the room.

"You don't think this is a prank…" Tony said as soon as the door was closed.

"No."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The baby had gone quiet, he suddenly noticed. Of course he knew something like this would happen one day, that a woman would come to him with a baby in her arms and say it was his. He just hadn't thought the shenanigans would start so soon.

He checked out the now empty basket for something like a birth certificate, or a note, but there was nothing.

He didn't think this was his baby. He wasn't an idiot; he was always careful. The last thing he wanted to become was a father. In fact, if he had to make a choice between fatherhood and celibacy, he would choose the latter. Well, maybe not really, but that was how much he dreaded fatherhood. Thankfully, they lived in an age of effective contraception.

"I don't think she's mine."

"Master Tony, you and I both know that there is only one way to be sure," he said softly. He had made a good argument.

"Right." He crossed to the phone. A paternity test was in order. He didn't care how much lecturing he would receive for _this_. He didn't want to go through this alone, and he couldn't drag Mr. Jarvis all the way to the hospital with him. The poor man needed his rest. So, he called Rhodey first, and then Obie, and told them to meet him at the hospital. He didn't give them the chance to ask anything.

Once it was done, he took the basket and held it out for Jarvis to put the baby inside, grateful that he didn't have to directly touch her.

Jarvis chuckled feebly. "She is just a baby, Master Tony. Don't be so afraid."

"I'm not afraid. I just… I don't want to hurt her." Indeed, he had never held a baby before. Babies seemed unnaturally fragile. Well, as an engineer, he had some experience with fragile things, but at least electronic components wouldn't die if you accidentally dropped them.

"Oh, I don't think you would," he said, with a meaningful smile, which only made the uneasy knot in his stomach—it had nothing to do with his long-forgotten hangover—only worse.

"I better get going," he muttered evasively, and darted out of the room.

…

She was his kid.

It was a bit funny, to see how his world could turn over so fast. But then, had the same not happened only 39 days ago? A phone call from Obie, a simple phone call he had answered without thinking much about it, and his parents were gone, just like that. He was the only Stark in the world.

And now, he wasn't.

"There's a couple in Maryland," Obie started, wrapping an arm around his shoulders in a fatherly way. "Married for 15 years, can't have any kids… They're both lawyers, if you must know. They'll take good care of her."

Tony didn't ask him how he had been able to find a foster family so quickly. Obie had handled the police and the social services, kept this under wraps. Tony also felt like he had been keeping a list of childless rich couples for an emergency like this. For some reason, it angered him.

"Obadiah!" Rhodey scolded him. "How can you be so heartless?"

"Heartless? I'm being realistic here. What else is he going to do, keep the kid? He can't even take care of himself!" He then turned to Tony again. "No one's judging you. You're too young, Tony. This is the right thing to do. Besides, you have a reputation to think of. And a company. The rumors of a love child is the last thing you need right now."

Obie probably didn't realize what a great job he was doing at infuriating Tony even further.

"Tony, please just think about it! It's been a month since the accident, and now you found a baby on your doorstep. This is a sign, don't you see it? Your second chance to have a family. Don't throw it away." Rhodey was almost begging him.

"He's a playboy, Rhodes, not a family man."

"I don't know, I heard women find single fathers quite attractive, actually."

Obie laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah, I'm sure he'll look quite attractive changing dirty diapers, with his hands covered in poop."

"He can pay someone to change her diapers. Stop trying to scare him."

"Give me a break!" Tony finally snapped, and stormed off. He didn't believe in fate. He didn't believe in divine signs. Right now, he didn't give a shit about the company or his reputation either.

His feet carried him to the nursery. A nurse was bottle-feeding her.

"Would you like me to teach you?" she offered politely.

"Thanks, I guess I'll just observe for now."

"Very well."

He just watched her in silence. Only a few hours ago, she was no different from any other baby who had ever existed. Innocent, fragile, even cute, but also loud, demanding, messy and absolutely not something he would want in his life. Now, he couldn't imagine a universe in which she didn't exist.

Once she seemed full, the nurse started rubbing her back gently, until she burped, and Tony found it adorable.

"There," she said cheerfully, wiping her mouth clean. "Are you going to take her?"

Well, he wasn't ready to actually_ take_ her, but the nurse had given him no other choice.

"It's alright. Just make sure you support her head."

Just like that, the little girl was in his arms. About two months old, 9.2 pounds, and perfectly healthy. She felt so soft, so warm, so delicate in his arms… He couldn't believe such a pure thing could come from him. And God, why did she have to smell so good? It was as if every single cell in his brain was screaming him to protect her at all costs. When their brown eyes met for the first time and she smiled at him like she knew who _exactly_ he was, he felt like he had found a missing extension of himself that he didn't even know he needed until now. But it only lasted for a second. Then she yawned, and her head fell on his chest with a soft sigh. He didn't think he could ever forget that smile. Something inside him had changed irreversibly. For some reason, it scared him.

The nurse was tending to another baby now, and wasn't paying any attention to Tony anymore. He took a detour as he walked out of the hospital to avoid Rhodey and Obie. Those two didn't understand his struggle. There was only one person who would.

Gently, he put her in the basket that was sitting on the backseat of his car. His parental instincts had apparently kicked in. A part of him wished he could shut down that section of his brain, but another, more realistic part reminded him that even if he could do such a thing, he wouldn't. Nevertheless, on their way back home, he forced himself to think more logically.

Obie was trying to be a father to him, but if his father were here, Tony wouldn't even have a choice. His dad would skin him alive, then give the kid to a foster family, and Tony would never hear from her again. Even his mom (Damn, she wouldn't forgive him if he abandoned this kid… No, right now, he was being logical. Not a good time to think about his mom) couldn't convince him otherwise. Obie, on the other hand, couldn't force him to do anything. Not really. It didn't mean he was wrong, though. Tony couldn't even take care of himself. His life was a mess, and it would always be a mess. He was who he was. And soon, they were going to make him the new CEO. He was going to have more than enough responsibility on his plate. He didn't need a kid's responsibility as well. He didn't mean changing dirty diapers or warming baby bottles. Like Rhodey had said, he could hire a nanny for that part. But he knew hiring a nanny wasn't enough. If it were, his relationship with his dad would have been much different.

The paradox was, he was too scared that he would hurt this kid, but he couldn't trust anyone other than himself to take good care of her either. What if her foster family didn't love her enough? What if they couldn't protect her, and let someone hurt her? What if_ they_ hurt her? Seeing her cry for no particular reason was bad enough…

And what if she was a genius, too? Would those idiots in Maryland be able to answer all the questions she would have? Tony knew he could. The thought of being able to share his knowledge with someone excited him. If Tony and his dad had shared any sentimental moments, they were usually while building something together. It was cool if she wasn't interested in science or engineering, of course, but still… And if she was half as smart as him, she would eventually figure out who her biological father was. He tried to picture her as an angry teenager, asking him why he hadn't wanted her. He didn't like that thought.

But most of all, he didn't like the thought of her calling another man "Dad." He didn't want to share her with anyone. Like, ever.

He tried to imagine her as a teenager again, and himself scaring off her prom dates. Then he mentally slapped himself. She was going to be homeschooled. He couldn't trust any teacher or school with her mind. Were there proms for homeschooled kids? He had no idea.

Another mental slap. It wasn't for him to decide whether she would be homeschooled or not. He wasn't going to be the one to raise her. He was incapable of such responsibility.

A third, final mental slap reminded him to not to make any decisions before speaking to Jarvis first. On his way home, he made a quick stop to buy the immediate necessities like diapers and baby formulas, which would be needed until he made up his mind. He could worry about the other baby stuff later.

When they returned home, Claire said he was sleeping. Tony went to Jarvis' room with his baby. He was fast asleep, indeed. Tony took his place in the armchair beside the bed, and watched him. Jarvis seemed to have lost even more weight in the last couple of days. He was dying. With all the money and the influence he had, there was nothing he could do for the man who had been a real father to him. Everyone he loved was being taken from him these days.

He spotted the book on the nightstand, the one Jarvis had been reading, or rather, rereading, perhaps for the third time. _The Remains of the Day. _Tony hadn't read it himself, but he knew it was about some traditional English butler. No wonder Jarvis liked it so much.

"Ana," he mumbled in his sleep. "Ana, I missed you so much, my darling…"

Ana Jarvis. She would make Tony those delicious Hungarian pastries whose names he couldn't remember right now, and played hangman with him when he was bored. She was the first person he had lost. He was a little kid when she had died of a stroke. It had been so sudden, so unexpected… Tony remembered how he had cried his eyes out during the funeral, at least until his dad had shot him a cruel glare that told him to stop crying and act like a man.

Tony was on the verge of tears again, and although there was no one to judge him this time, he suddenly felt ashamed. He inhaled the baby's smell again to cheer himself up. It was almost intoxicating. Better—and surely, much healthier—than anything else had tried to feel good before. It was a trick, of course, to trigger his parental instincts, and make sure he would take care of this little human until she was old enough to take care of herself. But damn, it was working. _Survival of the cutest,_ he thought.

"You're cheating. It's not fair."

She blinked at him. It was probably just a figment of his imagination, but Tony could swear that he had seen a hint of triumph on her face. A face that basically said, _"Yep, you're mine now."_

"Master Tony?" Jarvis was awake.

"Jarvis? How are you feeling?"

"Much better," he said, looking at the baby in Tony's arms.

They both knew that was a lie, but as usual, Tony was going to play along. "You look better."

With some effort, he sat up in the bed. Normally, Tony would help him, but his hands were full right now.

"So, she is…"

"My daughter." The words felt strange on his lips, but not in a bad way.

"Do you know who the mother might be?"

"No idea," he admitted. He was pretty sure she had been conceived while he was still a graduate student at Cambridge—he had dropped out after the accident and never thought much about it again—but, well… There were just way too many candidates, and he didn't think Jarvis needed to know _all_ the details of his sexual exploits. Tony Stark wasn't as shameless as everyone thought he was. And he didn't want to exhaust him, so he cut to the chase. "Obie thinks I should give her to a foster family. He's already made an arrangement."

"With all due respect, Master Tony, I don't think you should let Mr. Stane make this decision for you."

"I know. That's why I came to you."

He smiled. "What do _you_ want to do?"

"I don't know. But I know what I don't want to do. I don't want to give her away."

"Then don't."

"I can't do that either."

"Why not?"

He made no reply.

"May I?" he asked, extending his arms. Tony gave her to him. Funny, Jarvis didn't seem surprised to find out that there was a new Stark in town. In fact, it was as if he had been expecting her for some time. But of course, that was a ridiculous thought. There was no way he could have known.

Jarvis cooed her for a while before asking, "What is it that you fear so much, Master Tony?"

"I don't want to be like _him_."

Jarvis would never speak ill of Howard Stark. But he wouldn't pretend like his employer was a good father either. No, he was too honest for that. So, he would simply give Tony a meaningful look instead, like he did now. Then he returned to cooing her. She giggled. It could be the most beautiful sound Tony had ever heard.

"Jarvis, you always said my dad and I had much more in common than I knew. Do you think I'll be like him? Tell me the truth."

He looked at Tony again. "Sadly, I cannot see the future. I don't know what kind of father you'll be. I knew your father made mistakes, but I always thought time would heal all the wounds. What I didn't know was that there was no 'time.' Do you want to know the truth? The truth is, he died with many regrets. If you don't want to be like him, you must make sure you have no regrets. Look at her. She's the only family you have now. Do you really want to deny yourself the joy she will bring to you? If you give up on her, one day you will regret it, Mr. Stark. I know you will."

He had never called him "Mr. Stark" before. This was his subtle way of reminding him that Obadiah had no authority over him. Tony was _Mr. Stark_ now. The name had a certain weight to it. And a sense of power. No one could take away Mr. Stark's only family from him unless he let them. He didn't know what his dad's regrets were, and he decided not to ask. This conversation was already too sentimental for him to handle. But at least he had made up his mind.

"Well, I guess Claire can help until I find a nanny. Damn, I'm going to have to read a lot of resumes tonight," he said nonchalantly to lighten the mood.

Mr. Jarvis's sunken face suddenly became more alive. He prepared to give her back to him, but then paused, like he had remembered something important. "Mr. Stark? Does this beautiful young lady have a name?"

_Right,_ he thought as he scooped her into his arms again. He probably should call the lawyers, too, while he was at it. There would be some paperwork to be done. But at least he knew what he would name her. That was the easiest part, really.

"Ana," he said. "Ana Maria Stark."

Jarvis looked at him with a mixture of shock and gratitude. Tears brimmed in his eyes. No one had spoken that name out loud in years, knowing how painful it was for him. But Tony had wanted him to know that Mrs. Jarvis wasn't forgotten.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark. Thank you."

* * *

**A/N: This will be a collection of five one-shots that takes place in my ****_Secret Sisterhood_**** universe, but they can also be read as a standalone.**


	2. Chapter 2

**February 1992**

Growing up on a small English farm, Edwin Jarvis had always dreamt of being an adventurer. When he had become a young man, joining the British Armed Forces had seemed like the most realistic way to fulfill this naive dream. War had been brewing across Europe once again in history, and it hadn't taken long for Edwin to find himself serving under a general. Together, they had traveled quite a bit, and Edwin had been to many cities, of which the most significant one was, no doubt, Budapest. This was where he had befriended the famous American Industrialist, Howard Stark. It was also where he had met the young Jewish girl who would soon become his wife.

When the war had broken out at last, Hungary had allied with the Nazis. The general Edwin was serving had refused to grant Ana safe passage, so Edwin had forged his signature. His treason had been discovered, though, and if it hadn't been for Mr. Stark, he would have been executed. Even Mr. Stark hadn't been able to do anything about the dishonorable discharge. But he had taken Edwin and Ana to the United States with him, and Edwin had started working as his butler.

One might think the opposite, but this actually marked the beginning of their story. Getting married and starting a new life as two strangers in a strange land was a tremendous adventure itself, but things had started taking even a more interesting turn when Mr. Stark had introduced him to Miss Carter. Edwin took great delight from their adventures together, until one of these adventures put Ana in harm's way and they lost the chance to have any children. This was still Edwin's deepest regret.

It didn't mean both he and Ana didn't cherish Miss Carter's friendship, though. The moment Edwin had met her—or, to be more accurate, her punch—he had understood that she was someone who would leave her mark upon the world. Indeed, Mr. Stark hadn't let her talents be wasted in the SSR and founded SHIELD with her. In a way, Miss Carter became the face of the organization, while Mr. Stark managed to hide his involvement from the public. But the rest of the universe wasn't so easily deceived.

His experiments with the Tesseract would soon draw a most interesting visitor from far, far away. In 1950, King Odin of Asgard had sent a representative, and a guardian to protect the cube. Lady Sigyn had become a dear friend to them all, and it hadn't taken long for them to learn that she was half-human, half-Asgardian, and had volunteered for the duty to escape the oppression she had suffered in Asgard. Lady Sigyn, Miss Carter, and Mr. Stark had started preparing humanity to become a part of a bigger universe. Even Edwin and Ana had played their part.

As Miss Carter had once asked, how many butlers could say that?

If only there was a way to let Master Tony know what an extraordinary life he had lived, but that would only put him in danger. Master Tony would never know that his father had been able to replicate the supersoldier serum and used it on Lady Sigyn. He would never know that Lady Sigyn had warned him against HYDRA, which had been secretly taking over SHIELD. That was why Mr. and Mrs. Stark were taking the formula to the Pentagon, and they had been assassinated on the way. He was also never going to know that it was Lady Sigyn who had found his daughter and brought her to him.

Such were the secrets Edwin would take to the grave. Well, he didn't have much time left, anyway. When he had been diagnosed with lymphoma, he had almost felt relieved at first. He was eager to be reunited with his wife. But then Mr. and Mrs. Stark had been killed, Edwin was in desperate need for more time in the land of the living. He had to help Master Tony mourn and move on. Unfortunately, the Starks didn't handle grief well.

Now, he also had to guide the young Master Tony into fatherhood, though that duty was proven to be much less challenging. Like every man who had a complicated relationship with his own father, Master Tony, too, had had his reservations at first, but once he had made up his mind, those reservations had completely vanished. In fact, Edwin had never seen him so happy before. It wasn't that false mask of nonchalance he wore in the presence of others; it was pure, genuine, unadulterated joy. Edwin wasn't surprised. Master Tony had always had such a big heart, and finally, he can give all the love he had been harbouring in that heart to someone. A child was exactly what he needed.

It had been only a week since Master Tony had met his daughter, and life at the Stark Mansion had already taken a more sprightly turn. Master Tony had completely stopped going to parties or casinos. Lawyers had been busy taking care of the paperwork, workmen furnishing the nursery and baby-proofing the house. In fact, Edwin had decided to inspect the rooms himself this morning, to see if they had missed anything. Perhaps he should call for Miss Travis to help him walk around, but she was having breakfast in the kitchen, and he didn't want to disturb her. Besides, he felt stronger today. More alive. Her father wasn't the only person little Miss Stark was saving. So, he grabbed his walking cane, and started his tour.

When he went down to the living room, he found Mr. Obadiah Stane, sulking in a corner.

"Good morning, Mr. Stane. I didn't know you were here."

"Tony wants me to be her standby guardian, can you believe it?" Mr. Stane complained.

"What an honor, sir," Edwin replied, deliberately ignoring the complaint just to annoy him. And he must have succeeded, because Mr. Stane took out a cigar and lit it.

"Mr. Stark doesn't allow smoking in the house anymore," Edwin reminded him sharply.

In response, he simply shot Edwin an angry look and took a long puff from his cigar. "_Mr. Stark_, right… I guess we all better get used to it. The king is dead, all hail the king… And he lost no time producing an heir, did he?"

"No, sir."

"God, at least Howard had waited until his forties… Don't get me wrong, I just want what's best for that little girl."

Edwin didn't believe even a single word of it. "As do we all."

"Can I ask you a favor, Jarvis? Go find him and help him choose a nanny. The last thing Stark Industries needs right now is Tony to become a stay-at-home dad."

"I'll help in any way I can," he said, and set off to find Master Tony.

Although he had jokingly complained about having to read a lot of resumes when he had decided to embrace fatherhood, Master Tony didn't really look like he wanted to hire a nanny at all. There were many candidates with excellent qualifications and impeccable references, but none of them were good enough in Master Tony's eyes. Too old, too young, too inexperienced, too disciplined, too wild… Miss Travis had taught him the basics of infant care, and he had been taking care of Miss Stark himself ever since. Therefore, Edwin knew he would most likely be in the nursery right now. He wasn't wrong.

Miss Stark's room had been decorated in the most elegant fashion. Master Tony hadn't gone overboard with it in his excitement. The walls had been covered with washable, cream-colored wallpapers. A large wooden crib had been placed in the middle of the room, though it was only a temporary arrangement because Edwin knew Master Tony was designing a special sleeping pod for her, along with a stroller and a baby monitor. There were also lots of shelves and storage space in the room, and a large sofa in the corner, comfortable enough for Miss Stark's carer to take a nap on anytime. This is where Master Tony was sitting right now, working on one of his designs, while Miss Stark was asleep in her crib.

He looked up and smiled when he saw Edwin. "I'm going to add a panic button and a tracking device to the stroller," he said in a hushed tone.

"An excellent idea, sir," he agreed, sitting down next to him. "I'm sure Miss Stark's nanny will appreciate the thought very much."

He tossed the blueprints aside. "Why can't I get to raise my own daughter?"

"You have other responsibilities." Edwin didn't like Mr. Stane, but he had to admit that the man was right to be worried.

"I've already missed the first weeks of her life, Jarvis. I don't want to miss anything else. I think she's learned who I am. She smiles when she sees me, she recognizes my voice… Obie can run the company."

"Speaking of Mr. Stane, he told me you wanted to appoint him as Miss Stark's standby guardian."

"_Alternate_ standby guardian," Master Tony corrected him. "Rhodey will be the primary. The lawyers advised me to do it. You know, because Rhodey is now in the Air Force and all… I know Obie is not good with kids, but what other options do I have?"

Edwin smiled. Paternal instincts were funny. They forced even a carefree man like Tony Stark to consider the worst-case scenarios.

Their conversation was interrupted with Miss Stark's cries. Master Tony went to pick her up. "Hey," he said softly. "Did we wake you up? Sorry about that. It's okay now, you can go back to sleep."

His voice soon soothed her, but her eyes remained wide open. She didn't look like she wanted to go to sleep again.

"Are you hungry? Yeah, you seem hungry. I'll go get you a bottle. Jarvis, do you want to take her?"

"I would love to."

Master Tony showered her with kisses before giving her to Edwin, as if he feared that she might not be here by the time he returned.

"Mr. Stark…" he started.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Jarvis? You made a good point that day, but I don't like it when _you_ call me Mr. Stark."

Indeed, he had told him that many times. And to be honest, in Edwin's head, he would always be "Master Tony." "Apologies, Master Tony."

"Anyway, you were saying…"

"Oh, right… You might have missed the first weeks of her life, but you still have plenty of time to give her the world. Don't be in such a hurry."

"She's already given me the world, Jarvis. I'm just trying to return the favor." He put Miss Stark into Edwin's arms. "I'll be back in a sec."

Once Edwin was alone with her, he smiled. "Hello again, Miss Stark. How are you doing today?"

She smiled, reminding him of the fact that death wasn't as appealing as it had once been, for when he died, he would never see this beautiful smile again. Of course, he still wanted to be reunited with his wife, but now, there was another Ana he wanted to live for.

Suddenly, something among Master Tony's blueprints and notes caught his attention. A business card of a private investigator. He sighed. Master Tony was looking for the mother, to make sure she wouldn't become a problem in the future. If only Edwin could tell him that she was dead. According to Lady Sigyn, her last wish had been to send Miss Stark to an orphanage. Her parents hadn't let her, though, because they had wanted to use her to milk money from Master Tony. Thankfully, Lady Sigyn had erased their memories, and the memories of everyone else who knew about her.

Master Tony would never know when his daughter had been born, or where. He would never know who her mother was. It was going to remain a big mystery. But at least they would never know that Miss Stark's mother was a woman who wanted her own daughter to grow up as an orphan just to punish Master Tony, and her maternal grandparents were a pair of vicious money-grubbers. It was better this way.


	3. Chapter 3

**August 1992**

After much discussion, many sleepless nights, and a considerable amount of drop in the stocks of Stark Industries, Master Tony had at last agreed to hire a nanny. Before hiring Miss Amy Donovan, Master Tony had asked Edwin to personally interview with her, so Edwin had, and he was happy to say that she was more than qualified for the job. Master Tony was finally ready to take over the company.

This morning, Edwin, Miss Travis, Miss Donovan, and of course, Miss Stark had all gathered in the living room, in front of the television, for Master Tony was going to be announced as the new CEO of Stark Industries. The press conference was about to begin. Miss Travis helped Edwin sit down on the couch—he didn't have the strength to walk around by himself anymore, not even with the help of his cane—and Miss Donovan placed Miss Stark next to him, knowing sooner or later, the little girl would want to go to him. After her father, Edwin was her second favorite person in the world. There was a picture book in her hand. She looked at Edwin expectantly. He knew what this look meant. She wanted to "read" with him.

He took the book and opened the first page. "Ah, so you're learning animals today… Look, here's a dog. And a cat… This is a bird. A giraffe. An elephant. A monkey… That one's a flamingo… Your grandfather had a flamingo, did you know that? Bernard Stark. I can't say I miss him…"

"It's starting!" Miss Donovan exclaimed. Indeed, Mr. Stane was standing on the podium now. He started by thanking the reporters for coming, briefly mentioned Howard Stark's sudden and tragic demise, and assured everyone that his legacy was in good hands, because his son, Tony Stark had been anointed the new CEO of Stark Industries. Then he invited him to the podium.

When Miss Stark saw her father on the screen, she dropped the book, reached for the remote control on the coffee table, and did something that shocked everyone in the room, except for Edwin himself. She turned up the volume. He wasn't surprised in the least, having witnessed many other little miracles like this while raising Master Tony. She must have seen someone use that particular button to turn up the volume before. She was fascinated by everything that had buttons. Master Tony had had to sacrifice several calculators to the cause.

"Dada!" she said, pointing at the television with her finger, like she wanted to explain why she had done it.

"Yes," Miss Donovan said. "That's your Daddy!"

Miss Stark had been babbling for some time now, but this was clearly her first word. Too bad Master Tony wasn't here to witness it.

"Dada!" she repeated, this time more demandingly, and Edwin hoped Master Tony's images would be on the news and keep her occupied until he returned home.

Edwin wasn't feeling very well today, but he hadn't wanted to miss the press conference. Master Tony, the CEO of Stark Industries… It was his big day, even bigger than his MIT graduation. No doubt he was going to make his father proud. Master Tony's feelings for him might be complicated, but his pride in him was unwavering.

By the time their attention returned to the television, Master Tony was answering the questions of the reporters. Most of them wanted to know if he was ready for such a huge responsibility at such a young age. Of course, it would be a lie to say that Master Tony wasn't intimidated in the slightest by the legacy he had inherited. But the Starks were experts at hiding their fears and insecurities behind a mask of wit and charisma.

Others asked him what plans he had for the company, or what he thought about the accusations of war profiteering. Then, one reporter asked, "Is it true that you have a child, Mr. Stark?"

The young man's eyes were shining with the triumph of being the reporter to ask the most provocative question of the press conference. Edwin knew they were just doing their job, but he wished they remembered that famous people were, at the end of the day, were just people, too, and showed more respected to their privacy.

But Master Tony didn't seem to be bothered at all. On the contrary, he smiled at the cameras, like he knew Ana was watching him, before he announced, "Her name is Ana Maria Stark."

The crowd went crazy. How old was she? Who was the mother? Were they planning to get married? Master Tony waited for the questions to die down with an amused expression on his face. "The mother wishes to remain anonymous," he said once the cacophony of voices abated. "But you'll meet Ana soon enough. That's all. Thank you." With these words, he walked down from the podium.

After the press conference, Miss Travis asked him if he wanted to return to his room, but Edwin said no. He wanted to see Master Tony's reaction when he learned that Miss Stark had said her first word today. So, he asked for another painkiller—Miss Travis gave him as much as he wanted nowadays—and dozed off where he sat.

He woke up to the distant voices of Master Tony and Miss Donovan, most likely coming from the entrance hall. Miss Stark was sitting in the other corner of the sofa, chewing on her teether and watching him curiously.

"Hey, Jarvis," Master Tony said, entering the room.

"Good evening, Master Tony."

He got rid of his tie and put it aside, knowing Miss Stark would try to shove it into her mouth the moment he picked her up. "Amy said you had a surprise for me?"

"Ah, yes," Edwin said. "We have reason to believe Miss Stark might have figured out how to use the television remote control."

"Is that so?" he asked, scooping her into his arms. He kissed the tip of her nose, and Miss Stark giggled. "Did you see me on TV today? Did I look handsome?"

"Oh, she also said her first word," Edwin added.

"And what word might that be?" he asked. "Come on, baby girl. Tell me. Daddy wants to know."

He waited expectantly, but Miss Stark remained silent. "Oh, you just love tormenting me, don't you? Jarvis, help me."

"Jeeves," she suddenly said.

Master Tony looked like he wasn't sure if he should be proud, or jealous. "_Jeeves_? Really?"

To be honest, even Edwin hadn't seen this coming. Good Lord, how many other words did she know? "No, Miss Stark, that wasn't your first word! _Dada_. You said, _Dada_."

"Dada."

Edwin had never seen such a smile on Master Tony's face before. He looked like he had just received the greatest gift of his life. "Now that's more like it! Come on, say it again. _Dada_."

"Dada?"

His smile widened, he rewarded her with a quick dance around the room. She laughed. "Dancing" was another thing she loved. Unfortunately, Edwin couldn't dance with her anymore. If he tried, he would most likely to pass out. A risk he couldn't take.

_Jeeves_, he thought fondly. Miss Underwood used to call him "Jeeves." Funny, now that he thought about it, they had never been able to learn her real name. Edwin couldn't believe he actually missed even the company of a former Russian assassin.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This chapter contains spoilers for **_**Captain Marvel**_**.**

* * *

**January 1993**

Because Miss Stark's actual date of birth was a mystery, Master Tony had decided to celebrate the anniversary of the day he had found her as her birthday. And since the whole world expected him to throw a lavish birthday party, he was throwing one that cost him about $100,000, at a venue in Manhattan. Edwin's condition didn't allow him to leave the house, let alone attend such a loud and tiresome occasion. Still, he considered himself lucky to see her first birthday. He didn't think he was going to live to see the second one.

He wanted to leave something for her; not just a trinket, but something meaningful. He had thought of writing a letter, or even record a video, but then decided that it would be inappropriate. Who was he? Just a butler. But he really wanted to give her something, so he rolled his wheelchair to the large mahogany chest in his bedroom, and opened it. The simple effort left him dizzy and breathless, but what he saw inside made him smile. Everything Ana had created was stored here. All her drawings, sculptures, things she had sewed or knitted. There were also diaries and recipe books, though even Edwin couldn't read them because they were written in Hungarian. Sometimes Edwin wondered what would happen to these precious little things after he died. He knew Master Tony wouldn't throw them away, but still…

He picked up Ana's favorite shawl, and inspected it carefully. Thank the Lord, it hadn't been eaten away by moths. After closing the heavy lid of the chest, he crossed to his desk and spread a large sheet of plain, brown wrapping paper on it. Next, he neatly folded the shawl and put it into a cardboard box. Although he had decided against leaving her a message, it suddenly felt equally wrong to anticipate the young miss to accept a gift from a dead man she wouldn't even remember. So, he scribbled a few kind words on a small piece of paper.

_Dear Miss Stark,_

_I hope you remember how much I loved you._

_Yours truly,_

_Edwin Jarvis_

He had finished wrapping the box by the time someone knocked on the door. "Jarvis?" Master Tony asked.

"Come in, Master Tony."

"The birthday girl wants to see you," he exclaimed cheerfully as he entered with Miss Stark in his arms. She had almost disappeared among the ruffles of the rose gold dress that was bigger than herself.

"I got carried away, I know," he admitted when he caught Edwin staring. "But be honest, isn't she the cutest birthday girl ever?"

"Jeeves!" Miss Stark demanded.

"Okay, okay… There you go, Jarvis is all yours." Master Tony was already reluctant to share her with anyone, even with Edwin, or his best friend, Lieutenant Rhodes. Edwin wondered what he was going to do when she was old enough to have a suitor.

"Happy birthday, Miss Stark," he said once she was on his lap. "Master Tony, may I ask you a favor?"

"Yeah, sure."

Edwin reached for the present on the desk. "This is my present to Miss Stark for her birthday. I want her to have this. It belonged to my wife."

He attempted to unwrap the box, but Edwin stopped him. "Not now. When she is… old enough to understand."

The inevitability of the impending loss clouded the young man's face with fear. "Oh."

"Master Tony, please…"

"Okay. I'll hold onto it for safekeeping until she's old enough to appreciate family heirlooms."

He took the box, and scurried out of the room. A few minutes later, he returned to the room as his usual carefree self. He had a camera in his hand. "Smile, Jarvis."

Edwin would have shaved and put on something more formal than his dressing gown if he knew Master Tony would take a picture of him and Miss Stark, but it was too late. He had already pressed the shutter release several times.

"Don't worry, you two look lovely. But I'm afraid we gotta go now."

"Right," Edwin said, giving Miss Stark back to her father. Miss Stark nestled into his shoulder. Master Tony took her hand and made her wave at Edwin. "What do we say now?"

"Bah-bah, Jeeves!"

"Good girl!" His eyes lit up with pride, and then repeated her goodbye with the proper pronunciation, so that she could learn. "Bye-bye, Jarvis!"

"Enjoy yourself, sir."

"I always do, Jarvis."

After they left, Edwin decided to get some fresh air, so he crossed to the window and opened it. The frigid air filled the room, making Edwin shiver, but he welcomed it. Maybe the cold would numb his senses and dull the constant pain. Three days ago, he had overheard Miss Travis informing Master Tony that within a few weeks, he wouldn't even be able to get out of the bed, so he was trying to enjoy the last bits of his freedom while he still could.

"Mr. Jarvis?"

He immediately recognized the voice of Lady Sigyn. She had appeared right beside him. A true goddess, with her long, golden locks and sapphire blue eyes. Even after all these years, she looked like a young woman in her early 20s. In truth, she was more than 1000 years old.

She wasn't really here, though. Astral projection, she called it. She was a powerful sorceress.

"Lady Sigyn, it's so good to see you!"

"How are you feeling today?"

She asked the same question every time she came to visit him. But at least today, he could give her an honest answer. "I'm feeling… blessed. I've lived long enough to see Miss Stark's first birthday."

She frowned. "I like Tony, but it was selfish of him to throw that party. They should've spent this day with you, instead of entertaining a group of strangers."

"Oh, don't judge him too harshly, my lady. I believe Master Tony is only throwing this party because he doesn't want to give people the wrong impression."

"And what impression is that?"

"He doesn't want people to think he's ashamed of his daughter. That he's hiding her from the public."

Lady Sigyn nodded in understanding. "This realm of yours is a cruel place, Mr. Jarvis. Even crueler than Asgard. There, at least you only get frowned upon for being weak. But here, you can get ostracized for all kinds of things. Even after all this time, I still don't understand some of your rules. I'm not sure if I would've grown so fond of Midgard if it hadn't been for you, Ana, Howard, or Peggy."

"I think you've adapted well. You're one of us now, my lady. But you already know that."

"Thank you, Mr. Jarvis."

"So, are you still on Dr. Lawson's laboratory with the Skrull refugees?"

Edwin had never met the late Dr. Wendy Lawson, but he knew she was actually a Kree named Mar-Vell. She didn't approve of the war her people had waged on the Skrulls, so she had come to Earth with a group of Skrull refugees and asked Mr. Stark, Miss Carter and Lady Sigyn for permission to use the Tesseract to build a Light-Speed Engine. They had let her borrow the Tesseract, but with her untimely death, the plan to give the Skrulls a new home had failed. Asgard refused to intervene, so there was nothing Lady Sigyn could do for them, no matter how much she wanted to help. She was only on the cruiser that orbited around Earth to guard the cube.

"Yes. It's the safest place to hide the Tesseract from HYDRA… And the Kree Empire."

"What will happen to those poor refugees?" Edwin knew there were children, even babies among them. In fact, Miss Stark's first babysitter was one of the mothers, before Lady Sigyn had brought her here, to the Long Island Mansion. She was also the first human baby those Skrull children had ever seen, and according to Lady Sigyn, they missed her. Master Tony would probably have a heart attack if he knew.

"I have no idea. They want to send a message to their people, but if the Kree intercepts it… My orders are to take the Tesseract back to Asgard immediately if that happens."

Despite her heroic nature, Lady Sigyn was bound by Asgardian law. She couldn't disobey her king. She had disobeyed, for a few times, and each had cost her dearly.

"I'll take my leave now," she told him gently. "You should rest. Goodbye, Mr. Jarvis."

"Goodbye, Lady Sigyn."

She disappeared, and once again, Edwin was alone in his room.


	5. Chapter 5

**March 1993**

_Wow, just look at us,_ Tony thought when he caught their reflection in the large glass window that overlooked the Manhattan skyline. He knew they both looked charming; he in his three-piece Armani suit, Ana in that white long-sleeve t-shirt and gray plaid skirt. They were a good team, and the whole world was going to see that when the new issue of _Rolling Stone_ was released.

Tony had invited them to his office for an interview. It was something long overdue. He was tempted to hide his precious daughter from the world forever, knowing how cruel it might be. She was already a shy kid, and she was probably going to hate this celebrity lifestyle. Even Tony found it exhausting sometimes. But the thing was, people loved secrets. They would never stop coming after her if they realized if she was Tony's biggest weakness. But if he threw them a bone every once in a while—like a birthday party, or this interview— maybe they would leave her alone.

"Mr. Stark," a woman said. One of the photographer's assistants. "Whenever you're ready."

"We are. Let's get this show on the road."

Ana was calm during the photo shooting session. The photographer commented that she was one of the easiest kids he had ever worked with, but Tony knew her well enough to see how nervous she was. She was always nervous around strangers. Instead of throwing a tantrum, she would go quiet, and cling to her father as tightly as her tiny hands allowed her. Tony was gently kissing her and stroking her hair at every opportunity, to remind her that Daddy was here and she was safe. Funny, when he had first met her, he was too scared to even touch her, lest he would hurt her. Now it just felt so simple, so natural, as if she were an extension of his body.

By the time the interview started, her fingers had loosened, and she was just calmly resting her head on his chest.

"Hello, Mr. Stark, and thank you for giving us this exclusive interview," the interviewer said.

"The pleasure is all mine."

"Let's start with an easy question, shall we?"

Tony smiled. Why did all reporters use the same trick to intimidate him? Did they really think it would work on _him_? He wouldn't even let them be here in the first place if he thought he couldn't handle their questions. He was about to give a quippy answer when Ana suddenly tugged at his microphone.

"Ana, no," he said in a soft, but firm tone. She understood, and started playing with a button on his waistcoat instead.

"How old is Ana now?"

"14 months," he lied. Officially, her date of birth was January 25, 1992, but he wasn't going to tell the press that she was about two months old when he had found her on his doorstep.

"And the mother still wishes to remain anonymous?"

"Yes."

"Some find the timing of your fatherhood… suspicious, which leads to certain conspiracy theories. What do you think of them?"

"I'm sorry, what sort of conspiracy theories?" Of course, Tony had heard those conspiracy theories, he just wanted to see if this guy was bold enough to tell them to his face.

"Well, there are rumors that after your parents' untimely death, you fell into a deep depression, and creating another Stark was your therapy. Some take it even further and say you genetically engineered an embryo, and that's why the mother's identity is a secret."

"Oh, boy… Sorry to disappoint you, but Ana is 100% organic. Besides, genetic engineering is hardly my area of expertise. It would make more sense if you asked me if she's secretly an android."

The interviewer laughed. "Was she… planned, though?"

"No."

"How did you feel when you found out?"

"It was the best moment of my life."

He didn't seem convinced. "So, you weren't shocked at all? Or, confused?"

"Life's supposed to be an adventure. If you know what's waiting for you at every turn, where's the fun in that?"

"True, but we're talking about a major life change here. Weren't you at least worried about adapting to a more… selfless lifestyle?"

He bounced Ana on his lap a little and kissed the top of her head. At last, a question he could answer with pure honesty. "Nonsense. In this past 14 months, I came to realize that parenthood is not a burden, chore, or sacrifice. Ana is a part of me. How can an egomaniac like myself _not_ love the best part of himself?"

"Well said," he had to admit. "Now, let's talk about Ana's future. Do you think she's inherited the Stark genius?"

"Well, she certainly shows the signs."

"Would you be disappointed if Ana refused to follow your footsteps, though?"

"Not in the slightest. Intelligence comes in many forms."

"What if she doesn't want to be a part of the Stark legacy?"

"We're not living in the Dark Ages anymore. As a futurist, I'm all for individualism."

"Yet you chose to follow your father's footsteps. And he was a futurist, too."

_You son of a bitch._ "Yeah, but it was my choice. No one forced me to do it," he lied again. "I'm just grateful that I didn't have to build a company from scratch myself to do the job I love."

Thankfully, the rest of the questions were all about business, and nothing personal. The hardest part was over. Once the interviewer was finished and thanked him again, someone removed the microphone. As the crew packed up their equipment and left, his secretary approached Tony and asked if he wanted them to take Ana. God, why did people think he would want his kid out of sight the moment he was done showing her off?

Once they were alone in the office, he placed Ana down on the black leather couch and crossed to the fridge to get a bar of chocolate.

"I guess you earned a treat," he told her, unwrapping the bar.

She took it, broke it in half, and gave one of the pieces to him. She didn't start eating hers until he did. Tony laughed, but he was actually so happy that he wanted to cry. He had always known how much he was going to love his kid. What he hadn't known was, how much she was going to love him back once she was old enough to love. The purity of it broke his heart a little.

He went to pour himself some Scotch. Ana was watching him expectantly. "What?" he asked, taking the first sip. "Don't look at me like that, you're not getting any."

He caught a reflection of himself in the glass again. Here he stood, looking down on the world from his father's office. He still didn't feel like he belonged here. When he was a kid, this place was almost sacred. He was rarely allowed to enter, and whenever he managed to sneak in, he was immediately taken out by an employee. The might Howard Stark couldn't be disturbed while working, not even by his own son.

He was actually planning to leave New York behind and make a fresh start. He could run the company from LA. He was having a custom mansion built in Malibu, but his property manager had said it wouldn't be ready for at least another six months. Jarvis didn't know about the new mansion yet. For some reason, Jarvis hated California. Tony had a feeling that something bad had happened there, but he hadn't asked Jarvis what it was.

All of a sudden, the phone started to ring. Whatever it was, it had to be important, because very few people knew this number. So, he picked it up. "Hello?"

"Mr. Stark?" a woman sobbed.

He recognized the nurse's voice. "Claire? Is everything alright?"

Of course he knew everything wasn't alright. Nothing was alright. He knew it, yet he had to ask. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Stark. Mr. Jarvis is dead."

…

On the way home, Tony was numb. He just held Ana in his arms as tightly as he could without hurting her, like a little boy who was holding his favorite cuddly toy while after waking up from a nightmare. Ana must have sensed his mood, for she was quiet, too. He knew he should have been prepared for this day. He had had more than a year to prepare himself, yet he had failed. The truth was, even after three losses, he still had no idea how someone could be prepared for death.

The _Rolling Stone_ reporter had asked him if creating another Stark was his way of handling the grief. While Ana's creation was an accident, it had turned out to be exactly what he needed. After all, weren't some of the world's greatest inventions purely accidental? He had overcome the pain of losing his parents by creating a new Stark, but how was he going to overcome _this_ loss? How was he supposed to create another Jarvis?

The car stopped in front of the mansion. The driver got out and opened the door for him.

"Sir?" he asked when Tony didn't step out.

He wanted to stay here. He wanted to stay in this moment forever, with his darling daughter, and not go out there to face the horrid reality. Nevertheless, the reality came to him.

"Mr. Stark?" Claire cried, running up to them. Ana stirred in his arms.

"How did it happen?"

"When his condition deteriorated, I called an ambulance, but it was too late. He didn't seem to recognize me, or Amy in his final moments. He was asking for Ana, though…"

Yeah, the question was, which Ana? Tony got out of the car, and gave his Ana to the nurse. "Take her to her room."

Claire left with her. Tony followed them into the house. An invisible force was moving his legs, carrying him to Jarvis' room. The door was closed. The same invisible force made his hand open it.

He was lying in the bed. They had covered the body with a white sheet, but it was him. Maybe Tony should just leave him like that. He didn't have to remember what death looked like. But he had always been a hopeless masochist.

It wasn't the same. There was a terrified look on his parents' faces, like they still had some unfinished business in the land of the living. Jarvis just looked like someone who was ready to rest. It didn't feel right. Jarvis was supposed to have an unfinished business, too. Tony still needed him.

Tony's agony was slowly being replaced with anger. Why? Why did he have to lose Jarvis so soon? Sure, he had been in a tough spot after the accident, but he had pulled his shit together when Ana had come into his life, had he not? He had taken good care of her and Jarvis. He had become the CEO. Every day, he would wake up early, go to work, work hard, and return home to his daughter and the man who loved him as a son. He dedicated all his free time to his family. No more fooling around. He was being decent. Responsible. Using his second chance well. And this was how the universe rewarded him. With another death.

…

Thousands had attended the funeral of Howard and Maria Stark. Edwin Jarvis' funeral, on the other hand, would be a much more modest one. In fact, Tony had assumed he and Ana were going to be the only ones present. So, he was quite surprised to see an elderly couple here. He remembered them. They had attended the grand Stark funeral as well. His mom had once told him that the woman was a government agent and a liaison to the company, but maybe there was more.

Tony was glad that his dad had been able to find a spot at the interfaith section of this Jewish cemetery when Mrs. Jarvis had died. She was Jewish, and Jarvis was a Christian, but now, they could rest together.

Ana was very quiet during the funeral, and Tony didn't think it had anything to do with her being shy. He held her close to his heart, as close as possible, for she was the only reason it was still beating. After the burial, the old woman approached him.

"Hello, Tony."

He tried to remember her name, but couldn't. "Hello, Mrs…"

"Agent Carter."

"Right… You were a government liaison to Stark Industries, right? I had no idea you knew Mr. Jarvis."

"He was a good friend of mine."

This confused Tony. If they were really such good friends, why had Jarvis never mentioned her? Carter's attention shifted to Ana. "Your daughter?"

"Yeah."

"Well, hello there," she cooed at Ana.

"Hi," Ana said. She might be shy, but she had manners.

"What's your name, mm?"

"Ana."

"What a beautiful name." Damn. If she knew Jarvis, then she probably knew his wife as well. Then, he recalled something else, a vague memory from his early childhood. Another funeral that had taken place right here. Ana Jarvis'. He could swear he had seen this couple at that one, too. Carter wasn't lying. She knew the Jarvises. Tony wished she would just leave.

"Her vocabulary seems quite advanced for her age…"

"Well, she is a Stark," he muttered.

Agent Carter must have understood that Tony wasn't in the mood for small talk. She and her husband left. Now it was just Tony and Ana.

"Jeeves?" Ana asked, looking around.

"I'm sorry, baby girl. Jarvis is gone. We're on our own now."

He had never shed any tears for Jarvis until now. All his life, he had been taught not to cry, not to show any kind of weakness. But seeing Ana asking for Jarvis like that as they stood right in front of his grave had been the match in the powder barrel.

"Dadda, no," she said this time, wiping away his tears with her small, beautiful, delicate hands.

"Huh… "

Suddenly, he didn't feel so angry anymore. Yeah, the universe might not have cared for his efforts to be decent, but then, this was how the universe was. It was indifferent, to everyone and everything. Good deeds went unrewarded, and if you were smart, you could get away with any atrocity. There was no divine justice, or karma. There were no angels and demons, no heaven and hell. No reason to bother to try and be good. Except, he had been able to create his own personal angel, someone to strive to be worthy of. And as long as he had his daughter, he would never have to be alone in this infinite vastness of chaos.

"You're an angel, you know that, right? You're Daddy's little angel. Come on, let's go home."

* * *

**A/N: So, this was my little tribute to Edwin Jarvis. Hope you enjoyed. I'm also planning to post another series of one-shots about Tony and Ana's life in Malibu pre-**_**Iron Man**_** era. If you prefer longfics, though, you can check out the main stories of the **_**Secret Sisterhood**_**. I'm also working on a spin-off to the original trilogy, one that takes place in an alternate timeline.**


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